Composite package forming method



June 6, 1967 w. A. SCHAICH 3,

COMPOSITE PACKAGE FORMING METHOD Filed July 22, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 6, 1967 w. A. SCHAICH 3,324,214

COMPOSITE PACKAGE FORMING METHOD Filed July 22, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 22 I 2e INVENTOR. 2%- I I w wwwey, .f'A i/c/ June 6, 1967 w. A. scHAlcH 3,324,214

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frrozA ab" United States Patent O 3,324,214 COMPOSITE PACKAGE FORMING METHOD Wilbur A. Schaich, Maumee, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois Inc, a corporation of Ohio Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 385,831 4 Claims. (Cl. 264-98) This is a continuation-in-part of application, Ser. No. 168,143 filed Jan. 23, 1962, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a method of forming a composite package, and more particularly to a method of forming a flexible bag within an outer shipping container or wrapper.

A conventional package especially useful for packaging fluent materials, such as liquids and powders, is a composite package comprising a flexible bag within a rigid shipping container. This composite package is commonly referred to as a bag-in-a-box package. Generally, the outer shipping container is formed of corrugated paperboard. The flexible inner bag is generally formed from thin thermoplastic film, such as polyethylene, in the form of a lay-flat bag tubing which is cut to length and heat sealed at one end. The other end of the bag is either left open and wire tied after the bag is filled, or it is heat sealed closed and a dispensing fitment is heat sealed to the side wall of the bag and a closure applied to the fitment. The latter method of closing the bag is the most desirable when the bag is to be filled with a liquid. The components of the composite package are supplied separately and assembled by the packager.

Since the bag is tubular and the outer shipping container is preferably rectangular, the bag has to have a substantially greater surface area than the interior of the box to insure that all portions of the bag, when filled, are in contact with and supported by the box walls. This inherently results in some folding and creasing of the thin walled bag which can cause splitting of the bag under stresses. and shocks encountered in shipping.

The method of this invention is directed primarily to the formation of a flexible bag by blow molding, within the outer container, with the side walls of the container functioning as a mold to accurately define the side walls of the bag.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method for forming an inexpensive flexible bag for a composite bagin-a-box package.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for forming a flexible bag for a composite bag-in-a-box package, with the bag having an integral dispensing fitment, and more importantly with the bag conforming exactly to the box interior.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method for forming a composite bag-in-a-box package wherein the bag is formed within the box, thereby eliminating subsequent assembly operations.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, the preferred embodiment of this invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus used to practice the method of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1, showing the blow-head moving down after the finish of the bag has been injection molded;

FIGURE 2A is a reduced scale perspective view of the shipping container or box in erected form;

FIGURE 3 is a view generally similar to FIGURE 2, showing the bag being blown within the box;

FIGURE 4 is a view generally similar to FIGURE 3, showing the blowhead retracted from the finished bag;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1, with the outline of the base plate opening rotated 90 and shown by phantom lines. Basically, the method of this invention comprises formmg a parison of heated thermoplastic material, placing the parison entirely within the confines of a paperboard box or similar outer shipping container and expanding the parison within the box to form a flexible bag, with the side walls of the box acting as a mold to define the shape of the side walls of the bag. The parison of thermoplastic material is preferably formed by first injection molding the finish or neck portion of the bag, extruding a required length of tubing integral with the neck portion and lying within the confines of the box, and then pinching closed the tubing at the desired length.

The outer shipping wrapper or box of this invention can comprise a box B (FIGURE 2A) of the type shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,783,933, wherein the closure flaps F are tied together by integral tabs or bridging connection C. This container B can be flattened wit-h the closure flaps F folded along the side walls of the box. When the box is opened, the closure flaps F will be held securely against the side walls of the box and the outer shipping wrapper or box B becomes, in effect, a four-panel sleeve, i.e., four rectangular paperboard panels foldably connected together to define a tubular configuration. For purposes of clarity, the box B is shown on the drawings, with the exception of FIGURE 2A, as a four-panel sleeve.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the apparatus used to practice the method of this invention comprises a stationary bed plate 10 which is supported by supporting members 11. A pair of upstanding side rails 12 are adjustably secured to the bed plate 10 in parallel relation and are spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the box B. Thus successive boxes B may be moved along the bed plate 10. Diiferent width boxes may be accommodated by adjusting the spacing of side rails 12. A conventional extruder orifice 15, through which thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, is fed as required by an extruder (not shown), is located slightly above the side rails and in line with an opening 10a formed in the bed plate.

A blowhead 16, which will be described in detail here- I inafter, is positioned in line with the opening 10a and mounted for vertical movement through the opening. The blowhead is mounted on a ram 17 of a hydraulic cylinder 18.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, an annular shoulder 19 is formed at the upper end of the ram 17. Extending vertically above the shoulder 19 is a blowpipe 20 which has a central bore 21. Air under pressure is supplied through the central bore 21 by conventional means (not I shown). A circular neck mold holder 22 surrounds the shoulder 19 and carries at its upper end a pair of partible, mating neck mold halves 23 and 24. The neck mold halves together with the upper portion of the blowpipe 20 define the neck opening or finish of the bag. The mold halves 23 and 24 are mounted in holder 22 by a tongue and groove arrangement (not shown) permitting lateral movement relative to the holder 22 and relative to each other. The lateral position of the mold halves 23 and 24 is determined by pins 25 which are mounted on the shoulder 19 at an angle relative to the axis of the ram 17, whereby relative movement between the shoulder 19 and the mold holder 22 causes the mold halves 23 and 24 to move laterally relative to each other between open and closed positions. The mold holder 22 is axially spring loaded relative to shoulder 19 by means of compression springs 26 placed between the bottom of the shoulder 19 and bottom of the holder 22, which urge the holder 22 downwardly relative to the shoulder 19. Downward movement of the mold holder 22 relative to the shoulder 19 will, because of the angle of the pins 25, cause the mold halves to close.

The upper end of the space defined by the container or box B is closed, when it is in line with the extruder orifice, by a pair of plates 30 which are secured to the top of side rails 12. Plates 30 are disposed in spaced apart relationship to provide an opening 30a to permit the closed neck mold halves 23 and 24 to project therethrough and abut the extruder orifice. This opening 30a is closed during the blowing operation (FIGURE 3) by a pair of laterally movable top closure plates 31 that are respectively operatively connected to the double action air cylinders 32. The air cylinders 32 are mounted on brackets 33 that are secured to the side rails 12. The air cylinders 32 are connected to a source of air under pressure and are operated by conventional valves (not shown).

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 5, the base plate has a transversely extending slot 35 in the vicinity of the opening 10a. A pair of bottom closure plates 36 are slidably mounted in the slot 35 and are moved together to close the opening 10a where necessary. The plates 36 are respectively operatively connected to double action air cylinders 37 that are mounted on the base plate 10. The air cylinders are connected to air under pressure and operated by a conventional valve arrangement (not shown).

Referring to FIGURE 1, the containers or boxes B are advanced forwardly between the side rails 12 by a pusher arm 40 which is operably connected to conventional means (not shown) which alternatively move the pusher arm 40 back and forth. The forward end of the first box B in a line of boxes is restrained by a restraining member 41 which comprises an arm that is operatively connected to move back under the pressure or influence of the pusher arm 40 by conventional means (not shown).

In the practice of the method of my invention, a collapsed box B is dropped onto the base plate 10 and moved forwardly by the ram 40 against the preceding box thereby causing it to take an erect or open sleeve-like position between side rails 12. The pusher arm 40 is further advanced to position the preceding box beneath the plates 30, and in line with the extruder orifice 15. The cylinder 18 is then raised to its uppermost position and the blowhead 16 raised by the ram 17 into contiguous relation with the extruder orifice 15. Thermoplastic material is then extruded from orifice into the neck mold cavity to injection mold the finish of the bag. The blowhead 16 is then lowered, while extrusion of the thermoplastic material is continued, at a rate substantially equal to the rate which the thermoplastic material is extruded from the extruder orifice 15 in the form of tubing T until blowhead 16 reaches a position in line with the base plate 10 where holder 22 contacts cylinder 18. See FIGURE 3. Further extrusion is then discontinued.

At this position, the neck molds 23 and 24 preferably project to some degree into the space defined by the box B. This will result in the finished neck of the bag being recessed into the confines of box B.

The lower closure plates 36 are then moved by actuating the air cylinders 37 to abut against the neck mold halves 23 and 24 to completely close the lower end of the space defined by the box B. The upper plates 31 are concurrently moved inwardly by actuating the air cylinders 32 to completely close the upper end of the space defined by box B and to pinch closed the tubing forming a tail T. A conventional cut-off knife 45 is then actuated to pass across orifice 15 and the top of plates 31 to sever the extruded tubing, leaving the orifice free for the next operation.

After the closure plates 36 and 31 have been closed, air under pressure is admitted through the central bore 21 of blowhead 16 to expand the tubular parison to the confines of the box B, with the side walls of the box acting as a mold and defining the side walls of the bag. After the bag has been blown, the ram 17 is moved downwardly, but the mold holder 22 is held stationary against the upper end of the cylinder 18 thereby compressing the springs 26. The relative movement between the mold holder 22 and the shoulder 19 causes the mold halves 23 and 24 to open or move laterally. The pressure in cylinder 37 is reduced or reversed to permit bottom closure plates 36 to move apart sufficiently to accommodate the opening movement of neck molds 23 and 24. After the mold halves are opened, the cylinder 18 may, if necessary, be moved downwardly, allowing the neck mold halves to clear the base plate 10 (FIGURE 4). The lower closure plates 36 are then moved inwardly to completely close the opening 10a. The ram pusher 40 is actuated in the manner described hereinbefore to erect a new box and to shift the completed bag-in-a-box package out of the forming area. The recessed position of the finish or neck portion of the bag permits such movement to occur without damage to the plastic bag.

The tabs or connections C joining the end flaps F of box B may be severed and the flaps F folded in normal fashion to close the two ends of the box, and the completed composite package is shipped erect.

The flaps F are folded without folding and creasing the plastic bag. Thus, the inner surfaces of the end flaps F occupy the same position relative to the enclosed bag as the inner surfaces of the mold closure plates 31 and 36. Hence the bag is supported by the interior surfaces of the box B in point-by-point surface engagement without any creasing or folding whatever.

T 0 use the package, the filler need only open the flaps F overlying the finish of the bag, fill the bag through the finish, apply a closure to the finish and reclose the top flaps F.

It should be noted that a rounded shoulder 47 is formed on the upper end of the mold halves and thus provides a concave formation 48 on the blown bag connecting the body of the bag to the recessed neck. With this formation, the application of a slight axial pull to the neck will pop out the neck of the bag from its recessed position to make filling or dispensing more convenient.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be modified through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is not, therefore, the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims,

What is claimed is:

1. In a method of forming a composite container comprising a hollow support shell member having side and end walls and with a continuous liner conformed to the inner surfaces of the walls in point-'by-point surface engagement,

the steps of positioning a thermoplastic parison totally within an erected container as defined, but with the ends of the container open,

expanding said parison while separately restraining it at the open ends, to form a flexible liner, conformed to all of said inner surfaces in point-by-point contact,

and then closing said end walls to affect point-by-point contact between the so-fOrmed liner and all of said inner surfaces.

2. In a method of forming a bag-in-a-box container,

the steps of extruding thermoplastic material from an annular orifice in tube-forming fashion,

molding the finish for a container from said extruding thermoplastic material and thereafter forming a tube integral with the finish,

closing said tubing at a point remote from said finish,

erecting a collapsible multi-sided shell carton to openended form,

moving said tubing and finish into said open-ended erected carton,

expanding said tubing within said carton while separately restraining said tubing at the open ends of said carton to form a continuous liner conformed to all of the inner surfaces in pOint-by-point contacting relationship,

and then closing the ends of the carton to complete the point-by-point contact between the liner and all of the inner surfaces.

3. In a method of forming a bag-in-a-box container,

the steps of opening a carton having collapsible side walls, and

end walls which are foldable into the use configuration of the carton after erection of the side walls,

positioning said opened carton with the open ends thereof in alignment with an extruder orifice,

molding the finish of a bag on the end of a tube of thermoplastic material issuing from said extruder orifice,

closing the tube at a point spaced from the orifice to form a bag having an opening,

positioning said bag entirely Within the confines of said opened carton,

expanding said bag while separately restraining it at the open ends of the carton to form a liner conformed to the Walls of said carton in point-by-point contacting relation,

and then closing the ends of the carton to complete the point-by-point contact between the liner and all of the inner surfaces.

4. In a method of forming a composite container,

the steps of expanding a foldable carton to open-end form, the carton having interconnected side walls, and end walls, which are closable to provide a use configuration of the carton, and in said use configuration, said carton having an interior,

positioning a thermoplastic parison entirely within said interior of said open-ended form of said carton,

expanding said thermoplastic parison while separately restraining it at the open ends to form a continuous liner conforming exactly to the carton interior surfaces in point-by-point contacting relation in the use configuration,

and then closing said end walls,

whereby said side and end walls, in said use configuration, support said liner in exact point-by-point conformance to said container interior.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,473,189 11/1923 Knubel 264-94 1,727,391 9/1929 Blake 264-94 2,335,978 12/1943 Vogt 264-4 2,692,077 10*/ 1954 Kuhlman.

2,701,088 2/ 1955 Tyrseck.

2,936,978 5/1960 Wilkalis et a1.

2,959,812 11/1960 Allen 264-267 3,081,489 3/1963 Jackson et a1.

3,089,186 5/1963 Park.

ROBERT F. WHITE, Primary Examiner.

A. R. NOE, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A METHOD OF FORMING A COMPOSITE CONTAINER COMPRISING A HOLLOW SUPPORT SHELL MEMBER HAVING SIDE AND END WALLS AND WITH A CONTINUOUS LINER CONFORMED TO THE INNER SURFACES OF THE WALLS IN POINT-BY-POINT SURFACE ENGAGEMENT, THE STEPS OF POSITIONING A THERMOPLASTIC PARISON TOTALLY WITHIN AN ERECTED CONTAINER AS DEFINED, BUT WITH THE ENDS OF THE CONTAINER OPEN, EXPANDING SAID PARISON WHILE SEPARATELY RESTRAINING IT AT THE OPEN ENDS, TO FORM A FLEXIBLE LINER, CONFORMED TO ALL OF SAID INNER SURFACES IN POINT-BY-POINT CONTACT, AND THEN CLOSING SAID END WALLS TO AFFECT POINT-BY-POINT CONTACT BETWEEN THE SO-FORMED LINER AND ALL OF SAID INNER SURFACES. 